An elegant family home for sale in the pretty village known as 'The Gateway to the Cotswolds'

Even in areas of high demand such as the Cotswolds, there’s nothing more dispiriting than sales that fall through at the last minute—even if the reasons are genuinely unavoidable. Such is the case of Little Ham at Burford, 10 miles from Stow-on-the-Wold and 20 miles from Oxford, which returns to the market with the local office of Jackson-Stops at a revised guide price of £2.14m, following the withdrawal of the prospective purchaser due to ill health, as selling agent Kathryn Anderson reveals.

Manicured gardens complete with gurgling fountain and alfresco dining area welcome visitors to the five-bedroom house—which is listed Grade II and dates from the late 18th century, albeit with later additions — which are equally as elegant, thanks to a careful renovation programme that blended contemporary finishes with period details.

Little Ham was acquired three years ago by the present vendor, an interior designer who has painstakingly refurbished the house. It is now finished in a mix of old and new, with white the predominant colour.

Among the highlights of the 3,319sq ft interior are the panelled dining room with mullion windows and stone fireplace, the panelled sitting room with panoramic garden views and the bespoke kitchen with handmade cabinets. There’s also a ground-floor annexe and a striking stone summerhouse at the northern end of the garden.

Four of the bedrooms can be found across the first floor, with the fifth in the aforementioned annexe.

The garden and grounds are especially breathtaking as the house is approached through solid wooden gates and up a winding paved driveway. The garden is surrounded by a privet hedge and Cotswold stone boundary which offers the utmost privacy, whilst a lawn surrounded by beautiful flower beds and a striking water feature create an altogether impressive vista.

Little Ham is currently on the market via Jackson-Stops with a guide price of £2.14 million — see more pictures, or enquire with the agent for further details. 

Burford: What you need to know

Location: Tucked away in the Windrush Valley in West Oxfordshire. The A40 and M40 offers great links into London and trains run from Charlbury to London Paddington.

Atmosphere: The old Cotswold market town is known as 'The Gateway to the Cotswolds,' and is home to a number of shops, pubs, a village school and church.

Things to do: From here, explore the beautiful surrounding countryside, or visit Oxford and Cheltenham for a dose of culture.

Schools: Burford Primary School and Burford School are both local to the village, but there are many more options in the wider area.

See more property for sale in the area.

Credit: Strutt and Parker

Best country houses for sale this week

An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for